McCrory signs 4 bills into North Carolina law

Published: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 9:03 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at 9:03 p.m.

RALEIGH (AP) — Gov. Pat McCrory signed four bills into law Wednesday, including a measure that prevents North Carolina for now from participating in two parts of the federal health care overhaul.

McCrory's office said the governor signed the legislation in the old Capitol building in Raleigh.

The press wasn't invited to attend the signings, but a spokeswoman for the governor said some legislators watched McCrory sign one new law that blocks the state from expanding Medicaid to cover more lower-income people and from operating an online health care marketplace. The federal government will run the exchange instead.

McCrory had already indicated he would sign the bill approved last week by fellow Republicans in the General Assembly, saying the state's Medicaid system needs to be fixed first before taking on any additional enrollees.

An estimated 500,000 low-income North Carolinians would have qualified for the government health insurance under the expansion. The federal government planned to cover 100 percent of the state's expansion costs through 2016, falling to 90 percent by 2020. GOP lawmakers said they couldn't trust Washington to keep its financial side of the bargain.

"My team conducted a thorough review of the Affordable Care Act and its impact on North Carolina," McCrory said in a prepared statement. "Before considering Medicaid expansion, we must reform the current system to make sure people currently enrolled receive the services they need and more taxpayer dollars are not put at risk."

Democrats and their allies said North Carolina was making a big mistake refusing federal Medicaid funds they said would ease the burden of charity care and create more than 20,000 jobs by 2021. Other states have been wrestling with whether to participate.

Another law signed by McCrory ensures group homes and Alzheimer's care units can access $40 million to deal with Medicaid coverage changes involving personal care services. Then-Gov. Beverly Perdue said late last year she believed a 2012 law only allowed residents of adult care homes to benefit from the money.

McCrory also signed legislation that will allow a live possum drop to continue on New Year's Eve in Brasstown by making clear the Wildlife Resources Commission could issue permits for such an event.

Another new law increases penalties for protests at funerals and the size and duration of buffer zones around services. The measure was a response to an anti-gay Kansas church picketing military funerals nationwide.

<p>RALEIGH (AP) — Gov. Pat McCrory signed four bills into law Wednesday, including a measure that prevents North Carolina for now from participating in two parts of the federal health care overhaul.</p><p>McCrory's office said the governor signed the legislation in the old Capitol building in Raleigh.</p><p>The press wasn't invited to attend the signings, but a spokeswoman for the governor said some legislators watched McCrory sign one new law that blocks the state from expanding Medicaid to cover more lower-income people and from operating an online health care marketplace. The federal government will run the exchange instead.</p><p>McCrory had already indicated he would sign the bill approved last week by fellow Republicans in the General Assembly, saying the state's Medicaid system needs to be fixed first before taking on any additional enrollees.</p><p>An estimated 500,000 low-income North Carolinians would have qualified for the government health insurance under the expansion. The federal government planned to cover 100 percent of the state's expansion costs through 2016, falling to 90 percent by 2020. GOP lawmakers said they couldn't trust Washington to keep its financial side of the bargain.</p><p>"My team conducted a thorough review of the Affordable Care Act and its impact on North Carolina," McCrory said in a prepared statement. "Before considering Medicaid expansion, we must reform the current system to make sure people currently enrolled receive the services they need and more taxpayer dollars are not put at risk."</p><p>Democrats and their allies said North Carolina was making a big mistake refusing federal Medicaid funds they said would ease the burden of charity care and create more than 20,000 jobs by 2021. Other states have been wrestling with whether to participate.</p><p>Another law signed by McCrory ensures group homes and Alzheimer's care units can access $40 million to deal with Medicaid coverage changes involving personal care services. Then-Gov. Beverly Perdue said late last year she believed a 2012 law only allowed residents of adult care homes to benefit from the money.</p><p>McCrory also signed legislation that will allow a live possum drop to continue on New Year's Eve in Brasstown by making clear the Wildlife Resources Commission could issue permits for such an event.</p><p>Another new law increases penalties for protests at funerals and the size and duration of buffer zones around services. The measure was a response to an anti-gay Kansas church picketing military funerals nationwide.</p>